I
arrived at 9:00 and the line was long. Then, I noticed that the line was moving
VERY slowly. In fact, only twelve people were called in an hour and there were
approximately 60 people waiting. People were beginning to complain and asking
to see the supervisor. “So sorry! We are short staffed today!” she announced.
It turns out there were only three phlebotomists drawing blood. Three! This is
a major medical center. People were missing doctor appointments waiting for the
tests, which were the reason for the appointments! One poor man was on
supplemental oxygen and was worried about running out of it while waiting, as
he had not anticipated this unusually long delay.
While
waiting, I ran into Kerri from the Lung Transplant Clinic and we had a
marvelous chat. She had lost 90 pounds with my same nutritionist around the
same time I lost my 60 pounds last year. She said she had gained 25 pounds back
and I told her I am 5 pounds heavy and working on getting it off. I am so
fearful of having to face that horrible liquid and protein bar diet again! It
was lovely to see her. One good woman.
Finally,
after approximately 90-minutes, my number was called. My blood tests took
seconds, I grabbed a cup of coffee and ate my string cheese in the car before
taking my long past due morning medications.
It
was now 10:30 and I was starving. I gobbled an In-and-Out single hamburger
wrapped in lettuce, no bun. Perfect. From there, I went to the rehab class only
to arrive to a lot of drama. I am trying to stay out of it but it unfolded
Tuesday before my eyes.
As
I have written in past blogs, the new RN for Pulmonary Rehab is unskilled in
managing a group of people. She also makes very inappropriate comments,
apologizes then wants a hug. By that time, one does not want to be hugged. One
is ANGRY. She speaks to us as if we were children or stupid, I haven’t decided
which yet. Everything is said in a punitive tone where as the retired RN used an educational tone. This new RN and I have had our run-ins and Michael
has told me to keep my head down and not to give her any information. It has
worked and I haven’t had problems with her recently.
And
sometimes, she just says inappropriate things. One example was to a nice older
man with a lovely Irish lilt who was there for new patient input for Cardiac
Rehab. She asked loudly if he was a priest! “Why, no,” he replied. Her
response, “You sound like a priest.” He looked stunned.
Well,
on Tuesday, as we were cooling down and ready to have our vitals checked before
being dismissed, Angie complained about the small parking lot that day. It had
been unusually chaotic. Her response? “You are not sick enough to park in that
parking lot. You can walk. That is for people who are really sick.”
I
was sitting next to Angie when this was said and I watched as her eyes grew
dark and the fireworks began.
“I
have a serious lung disease. I need transplants. I have a disability placard
and have every right to use that parking lot,” she said.
The
RN’s response, “But you can walk. Those spaces are for people who can’t walk.”
“No,
that parking is for disabled people. I am disabled.” Angie also went into the
lecture we learned in this program about how we should not feel badly about
using the disability spots as it is all about energy conservation. After a day,
all these nuggets of saved energy may allow another activity of daily living.
Now, the RN was saying just the opposite from what was taught in her own
program.
The
RN then suggested that Angie really wasn’t that sick and wanted her to prove
how ill she was by doing a 6-minute walk test. Angie’s response was that she
was not her doctor and how dare she suggest any test without her doctor’s
permission.
As
Angie refused to back down, the RN began to back pedal. Angie pounced. At that
moment, I excused myself, walked into the empty lobby and said out loud, “Oh,
that’s going to get ugly!”
So,
today while I was telling Sherman all about the confrontation, in walks Angie,
still angry. She told us that she had not slept since Tuesday as she was
walking down the hall to speak with the head of all Physical Therapy and all
the Rehab Classes. The big boss.
Angie
filed a formal complaint.
Afterwards,
she, Sherman and I thought it would be wise to give the lovely exercise
physiologist a heads up. She is totally professional but we can see that she
also struggles with the inappropriate comments the RN makes, though she has to
work with her. Sherman was able to motion to her to come out to the lobby to
see us. She came and, just as we were telling her what was happening, the RN came
out, too! So, she now just left an entire room of pulmonary rehab people alone
while working out on machines. She clearly saw something was up. I am sure I am
going to get blamed though I am trying to stay out of it.
During
the entire class today, it was very uncomfortable. The RN did not look or talk
to Angie.
Drama.
We’ll see where this goes. Maybe she will be placed in another position. Something that she is better trained to manage.
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